Author Topic: Outsourcing Editing, Keywording, etc. (Read 3278 times)

DCPhotoGuy · « **on:** July 26, 2013, 12:52 »

I am reaching out to any of you who have had some experience outsourcing your editing, keywording and posting.

I have had a college student intern do some for me this summer. Unfortunately, he has to return to school soon. But I realize this is something I need to continue to outsource.

So, some questions:
-- Who does this? Can I find individuals or labs offshore in India or elsewhere to do this?
-- How can you be sure your images are secure?
-- What is the going rate for this kind of work?

Any insights folks can provide will be greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend!!

Robert

picture5469 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2013, 13:57 »

Been there tried it, very random results if you want to see specific images retouched by key india graphics or there keywording pm me.

calcaneus10 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2013, 14:10 »

I've been trying to figure out the same thing for weeks. I guess you could leverage your experience as a professional stock photographer to hire interns fro $2/hr.
As far as outsourcing, I've been looking into Indian companies too, but I'm not sure I trust anyone else's work in retouching my images.

ruxpriencdiam · « **Reply #3 on:** July 26, 2013, 14:16 »

Not worth it unless you are an image factory.

Too expensive considering what you are getting in return for the image if it sells.

Do it yourself nothing to it.

calcaneus10 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 26, 2013, 14:24 »

Anyone know cost for 700 images/week?

ppdd · « **Reply #5 on:** July 26, 2013, 14:56 »

I do this a bit, but I only send out low res images for keywording, then transfer the metadata in batches. I found some people on Freelancer.com and I have them use available keywording tools.

rimglow · « **Reply #6 on:** July 26, 2013, 15:03 »

Everytime I see one of these threads, I wonder how anyone could ask what someone would charge for retouching. How much retouching? It's like asking a doctor what he would charge for an operation without specifying what kind of operation.

calcaneus10 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 26, 2013, 15:28 »

Good point, rimglow. I've had a few models come by with skin that I thought wouldn't be that bad on camera, but after the shoot, it was a photoshop disaster. That much retouching needed

picture5469 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 26, 2013, 15:41 »

I used these indian places for retouching and keywording.
First of all u have to go through a learning curve with them. You need to state exactly what you want done. Even then it doesnt happen. As for keywording often I found they missed the whole point of the image or its concept. Also, they don't know regional names of objects. e.g. they don't know what a rake or a hoe is. to them its a garden tool.
The best person to do retouch and keyword is often yourself.

gostwyck · « **Reply #9 on:** July 26, 2013, 18:07 »

Quote from: picture5469 on July 26, 2013, 15:41

I used these indian places for retouching and keywording.
First of all u have to go through a learning curve with them. You need to state exactly what you want done. Even then it doesnt happen. As for keywording often I found they missed the whole point of the image or its concept. Also, they don't know regional names of objects. e.g. they don't know what a rake or a hoe is. to them its a garden tool.
The best person to do retouch and keyword is often yourself.

Of course it is. That's why photography doesn't scale.

The post-processing of an image is as much a part of the art (and the definition of the photographer's skills) as the composition itself. Back in the day they used to say that "the real photography is done in the darkroom".

If you really don't want to do the post-processing yourself then you might just as well outsource that irksome shutter-clicking stuff to boot.

Oldhand · « **Reply #10 on:** July 27, 2013, 08:14 »

Hi there - I don't know about retouching, but there's a couple of options for your keywords - Dreamstime do it and so do Picworkflow.

The company I work for has designers off-shore - on the whole they are very good, but it does make me laugh when a website for a nice cozy pub comes back with lots of youths drunk in an Ibiza nightclub- there is always going to be a culture issue...

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Author Topic: Outsourcing Editing, Keywording, etc. (Read 3278 times)

DCPhotoGuy

picture5469

calcaneus10

ruxpriencdiam

calcaneus10

ppdd

rimglow

calcaneus10

picture5469

gostwyck

Oldhand

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